Celebrating the Bard at the Barn

February 1, 2017

Pinehurst, NC—Associate Professor and Director of Theatre Jonathon Drahos, along with partner Carolanne Marano, held a fundraiser to support “Shakespeare in the Pines,” an inaugural outdoor Shakespeare festival to be held in Pinehurst, North Carolina. Drawing on their fifteen years leading the Uprising Theatre Company, the couple hopes the festival will make Shakespeare more accessible to a wider audience, attracting new spectators and perhaps even inspiring future performers. Held at Pinehurst’s Fair Barn, the fundraiser drew about seventy-five members of the community who were invited to participate in silent auctions and partake of good food, wine, and conversation—all before viewing a delightful revue of iconic scenes from Shakespearian classics such as Hamlet, Much Ado About Nothing, and Romeo and Juliet. UNCP Theatre students were in the spotlight throughout the evening, both on stage and off. If their energy and enthusiasm are any indication, “Shakespeare in the Pines” is sure to become a must-see event.

The first performance of Much Ado About Nothing is scheduled for early June 2017.